Dental instrument



y 1953 .1. A. SHELDON 2,835,972

DENTAL ms'mmm Filed May 29, 1956 INVENTOR. Jose oh A, he/clan A r roe/Mam United States Patent DENTAL INSTRUMENT Joseph A. Sheldon, Union City, N. J.

Application May 29, 1956, Serial No. 587,979

2 Claims. (Cl. 32-66) This invention relates to a dental instrument and refers more particularly to a dental band pusher to be used for facilitating the application of band material to the teeth.

Practical experience has shown that often it is quite difiicult to properly and effectively adjust the band material around the teeth without causing serious injury to the surfaces of the gums or bone. Prior art constructions did not enable the patient to assist the orthodontist successfully in the movement and placement of the band material. Furthermore, the previous construction did not allow the orthodontist to properly burnish the band material to the anterior and posterior teeth.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a band pusher of such construction that injury to the gums is effectively avoided.

Another object is to provide greater adaptability in maneuvering the band material around the tooth.

A further object is to provide greater facility by means of which the patient aids in the movement of the band.

Further objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

The objects of the present invention may be attained through the provision of a band pusher with transverse members extending on opposite sides of the blunt tip so that the workable portion of the instrument has the shape of a T, the transverse members resembling the arms perpendicular to the blunt tip.

In accordance with the present invention the band pusher may be used in several selectable positions adapted to move the band firmly around the tooth. It is important that one may apply the band pusher with the same degree of dexterity to a lower front incisor as well as an upper front incisor in addition to the posterior teeth.

A fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the band pusher of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view in part section of the band pusher shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view in section showing the band pusher of Figure 1 engaging the band.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, reference numeral 11 indicates a handle which is an elongated body made of any suitable material. A stem 12 is madev ice preferably of surgical steel and is connected to the handle 11. The blunt tip 13 forming an integral part of the stem has transverse members 14 and 15 equidistantly disposed, and extending on opposite sides of the blunt tip 13, perpendicular to the axis thereto. Transverse members 14 and 15 form the horizontal portion of the figure 'T and the blunt tip is disposed medially perpendicularly to this horizontal portion. The blunt tip has a length which is less than or equal to the average height of a tooth so that if the band pusher slips from the edge or seat of band material, the transverse member interposes upon the tooth to prevent the blunt tip striking the gums or bone.

The stem 12 is connected transversely intermediate the ends of the transverse members. The stem is further offset obliquely at one end forming a side perpendicular to the blunt tip. This construction provides the proper and convenient placement of the band pusher upon the band material to provide a flat surface large enough to accommodate the patients upper tooth for applying pressure upon a transverse member. This construction further enables the orthodontist to maneuver the band pusher more freely with a minimum of effort thereby aifording greater skillful application of the band to the tooth.

The outer surfaces of the tip 13 and the transverse members 14 and 15 may be provided with parallel grooves spaced so that one may effectively burnish the band material to the tooth to make it fit firmly.

In use the orthodontist rests the blunt tip of the band pusher on the edge of the band and pushes the band to its proper position. With the aid of the upper teeth, applying pressure upon the transverse member enables one to fit the band more firmly to the tooth and to move it more easily into position. The anterior as well as the posterior bands may be seated in this manner.

The advantage of this construction is to perform the fitting of band material to the teeth with a minimum of pain and injury to the gums. It will also enable the orthodontist to secure band material with a greater degree of safety, and more perfectly obtain greater alignment of teeth. Another advantage of the present invention is the .assurance of obtaining a greater degree of parallelism for more perfect restoration of faulty teeth.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact disclosure herein described but may lead itself to a variety of expressions within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A band pusher for use in conjunction with tooth straightening devices, said band pusher having a handle, a longitudially curved stem having one end connected with said handle, a blunt tip connected transverse upon the other end of said stem, two transverse members extending perpendicularly to said blunt tip and adjacent thereto, said transverse members being equidistantly disposed from the said blunt tip and opposing each other on the same axis.

2. A band pusher in accordance with claim 1, wherein the outer resting surfaces of said blunt tip and said transverse members have parallel grooves formed therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,339 Angle Apr. 2, 1918 

